I'm glad Miranda, Shannon and Kaitlyn are coming back, but I''m going to remain skeptical that it'll happen until they officially step on the field. There are still a lot of moving parts and unknowns that have to be answered. All the NCAA did was say they could come back, and gave a year of eligibility back to all spring sports athletes. That's it. Conferences and Schools will be able to decide whether they allow it or not, and before the decision by the NCAA, the Big 12 was not on board with giving eligibility back. SEC and ACC wanted all athletes to get a year, PAC wanted only seniors, and the Big 12 and Big 10 did not want anyone getting a year.
Another factor will be the finances. It is up to the school to pay the returning seniors scholarship. Below are the rules the NCAA put in place regarding returning seniors and scholarship money:
A returning senior can receive up to the amount they were on in 19/20. They may not receive more.
Any scholarship money given to a returning senior will not count against the program limit of 12.
If a returning senior transfers, any scholarship money they get from the new school will count against the program limit of 12.
Some schools can't pay and some won't pay. With the loss of money each school receives from the NCAA, can't will be a real factor for a lot of schools. And that's assuming college football season happens in the fall. If not, watch out.
But here's where it gets real tricky...the scholarship relief is only for next year and the returning seniors. After next year, it's back to 12. So coaches are going to have a decision to make, keep your now Juniors, or keep your 2021 recruits. Unless players on either side start giving up money, something will have to give. So for White, decision will be to keep and pay Lauren Burke, Janae Jefferson, Taylor Ellsworth, Ariana Adams, MK Tedder and Mary Iakopo...or drop them and pick up the 2021 commits Katie Cimusz, Sophia Simpson, Nelia Peraltz and Ashton Maloney. And that decision will have to happen by November. And another layer to that is the coaches may not have the choice, because of scholarship rules and language, if the current Juniors choose to come back their scholarship will be honored. So if all of the current Juniors choose to return, there may not be an money for 2021's.
And lastly, the Freshman class for 20/21 will now be 10. The four from this season (Popelka, Marder, Corona and Green) will be FR again and you're now adding Ratcliff, Smith, Washington, Whitaker, White and Williams.